Permit



Oct 6, 1936. w. H. ROBERTSON CASH REGISTER Filed Jan. 10, 1930 15 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. 1

gwuwntoz William H. Roberuon Oct. 6, 1936. w. H. ROBERTSON CASH REGISTER Filed Jan. 10, 1930 4 %F............. It llllllllllllll I 15 Sheds-45M 2 Oct. 6, 1936 w. H. ROBERTSON 2,056,485

CASH REGISTER Filed Jan. 10, 1930 15 sheets-sheet 3 FIG. 4

' William H. Robertson y 15 M Oct. 6, 1936. w. H. ROBERTSON CASH REGISTER Filed Jan. 10, 1930 15 Sheets-Sheet 4 Zlmewtoi William H. Robertson His Qttoz IIQH Oct. 6, 1936; w. H. ROBERTSON CASH REGISTER Filed Jan. 10, 1930 15 Sheets-Sheet 5 gwuentoc William H. Robertson w. H. ROBERTSON CASH REGISTER Filed Jan. 10, 19:50 15 Sheets-Sheet 7 gvwentoz William H. Robertson Oct. 6, 1936. w. H. ROBERTSON 2,056,435

cAsI-I REGISTER Filed Jan. 1.0, 1930 15 Sheets-Sheet 8 FIG. 17

gwuento'o William H. Robertson Hi 61 Ho: W213,

Oct. 6, 1936 w. H. ROBERTSON 2,05

CASH REGISTEfi Filed Jan. 10, 1930 15 Sheets-Sheet 10 gwuenloz William H. Robertson By Hi! attozmy Oct. 6, 1936. w. ,H. ROBERTSON 2,056,485

CASH REGISTER Filed Jan. 10, 1930 15 Sheets-Sheet ll William H. Robertson Oct. 6, 1936.

w. H. ROBERTSON 2,056,485

CASH REGISTER Filed Jan. 10, 1950 15 Sheets-Sheet 12 William H. Robertson By Oct. 6, 1936. w H ROBERTSON .7 2,056,485

CASH REGISTER Filed Jan. 10, 1950 15 Sheets-Sheet 13 6 66 6.66 7 LP 0 -84 1179 NW5 f 6 gj gb LE 0 85 1179 \EERMIT/NQ'1179 55 .55 L 05861179 w 1 76 5.44% LP 5 1179 25 .3% 3 4455m LC 0587 7 -"799 POSTAGE PAID. 5 56 0.5 m P 0587 1179 W 2 C 0587 I gnaw/14 :0; 02 1 0587 B William H-Rlibertson 02 4.51 is 05871179 Y,

H1 atbo'zneq Oct. 6, 1936. w. H. ROBERTSON 2,055,485

' CASH REGISTER Filed Jan.'l0, 1930 15 Sheets-Sheet l4 FIG. 31

Gianna Oct. 6, 1936. w. H. ROBERTSON CASH REGI STER Filed Jan. 10, 1930 15 Sheets-Sheet 15 FIG. 36.

FIG. 35

gnwmfoz William H. Robertwn Patentei v m A- Qnro, corporate This invention relates to registers an r chines, and more particularly refers to HTULO ments in 111-,chines of the type oisclosezl in L tei's Patent of the United States, No. 17953509, issued March it), i931; No. 1,816,263, issued M gust l, 1931; No. 1,92%,290, issued August 29, 1933: and No. 1,929,652, issued October to, 933, to Wil liam I-l. Robertson.

These patents disclose a type of machine cornpact in size light in weight, one which is equipped "with a full complement of and other manipulative devices to con 01 the machine to perform all of the functions of a cash register or an. accounting machine, including the accumulation of amounts on any one of urality of totalizers which be selected at Wl r; iiuii= eating the amounts registered in the machine; printing the amounts of the registration and other data on an inserted sue, on an issuing check, and on the detail record strip which retained in the machine; taking totals and sub totals from the several totalizers; printing and indicating the totals; making repeat operations; and, in general, capable of performing all the functions of a much more expensive machine. Machines of the type disclosed in the above mentioned patents have been adapted :cor use in motor lousses and other media of transportation, ticket of lces, telegraph oflices, department stores and other business establishments, and is read adaptable for use in many other types of coil rnercial activities.

In recent years, the now Well known postagperrnit machine, operated under Section 45d of the Postal Laws and Regulations, has olevelopeci, improved and refined to relieve the various posteofilces and commercial concerns malting use thereof, of the work of cancelling enormous amounts of first-class or letter mail, one eifect being to obviate the necessity requiring commercial organization to carry large stocks valuable stamps which may he rims-appropriated, and another result being to provide a much faster method of stamping envelopes, thereby speeding up the output of mail and saving a great amount of time and labor.

However, such machines are not readily arlapt= able to the stamping of parcel post packages, clue to the Wide variety of shapes, sizes and Weights of the parcels mailed, and also due to the sliding scale charges for the several parcel post zones. In other Words, the postage permit machines' now in common use, are set for a fixed amount, Whereas a flexible machine is required to handle the wide range of weights, zone and Riaryiantl 1930, Serial No.

hostage charges incident 4 mail of parcel post packa er.

It is, therefore, an provide a, machine (capable suing postage permits) businesses, postoihces, merits wherein a volume of 7; by mail.

Another object of the in novel means to select izers, by the act of cleoressing" a a" a further object is to pro compel a transfer total open total taking operat on, when pressed.

Still another chi the type indicated mechani ing mechanism.

With these inciclen a invention includes c struction and comb tiai elements of win 1 'et claims and a preferrec'i form 1 which is hereinafter described the drawin s which accompany of this specification.

In the drawings:

l is a perspective view of he Fig. 2 is a sectional view through one f the amount irev hanks taken on line 2- g. 3). Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional v: w rough the machine, taken to ti. right 0:? one of amount banks and shot/ig an amount "sank, the differential mechar associated. therevmhfl and the indicator mach o right elevation.

Fig. 4 is a detail view in elevation of the divided or one-half cent hey loan 5 is a view, partly in section an in front elevation, taken, generally, on 1 (Fig. 4)

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view oi the cletent bar associated with the lzeys in the div one-half cent hey hank.

Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional view through. the machine, taken to the right of and in right elevation the haul: of transactio at Fig. 8 is an enlarged detail of the selecting mechanism.

iii)

' Fig. 931s a cross-sectional view, taken transversely through the bank of transaction keys.

Fig. is an enlarged fragmentary view of a means to compel depression of a transaction key before the machine may be released for operation, and to compel complete depression of the transaction key.

Fig. 11 is a. detail view of the diflerential ectuator driving mechanism.

Fig. 12 is a top plan view of the group of totalizers and the totalizer shifting or selecting cam.

Fig. 13 is a detail view of the repeat key and of the various controls operated thereby.

Fig. 14 is a sectional view taken Just inside the right side frame of the machine, and showing, in right elevation, the machine rele mechanism, the total control lever, the totalizer engaging and disengaging mechanism, and the means to control the latter mechanism.

Fig. 15 is a detail view 01' the cam and arm for engaging and disengaging the totalizer relatively to its actuators on adding operations.

Fig. 16 is a detail view of the cam and cam arm for engaging and disengaging the totalizer relatively to its actuators on freading" or sub-totalizing operations.

Fig. 17 is a detail view of the connection between the total lever and the transfer total control shaft. 1

Fig. 18 is a detail view of a part of the mechanism to compel a transfer total operation after certain totalizing operations before the machine can be operated for any other purpose.

Fig. 19 is a fragmentary view of the means to disconnect the coupling pinion actuating mechanism from its driving mechanism.

Fig. 19A is a detail plan view of part of the means to disconnect the coupling pinion actuating mechanism from its driving mechanism.

Fig. 20 is a skeletonized view infront elevation of thedifierential totalizer actuators, the coupling pinions and the totalizer engaging cams and cam arms. 4

Fig. 21 is a fragmentary view of the mechanism for shifting the transaction coupling pinion into and out of effective position.

Fig. 22 is a detail view of the difierential mechanism associated with the overflow banks, that is, the three banks of highest order at the left of the machine.

Fig. 23 is a view in right elevation of the printing mechanism located generally on the righthand end of the machine.

Fig. 24 is a detail view of the printing hammer and operating mechanism therefor.

Fig. 25 is a detail view of the mechanism for disabling the detail record and gummed label or permit ticket printing hammer when depressing certain transaction keys.

Fig. 26 is a top-plan view of thepermanent detail and permit ticket printing hammers, showing the mechanism for withdrawing the transaction platen when printing permit tickets.

Fig. 27 is .a detail view of the permanent detail 'paper supply roll and receiving roll, and the operating mechanism therefor. This figure also illustrates the detail paper slackening device.

Fig. 28 is a detail view of the issuing detail paper supply roll and the feeding mechanism therefor.

Fig. 29 is a section of one of thedetall strips, both detail strips being identical.

Fig. 80 illustrates one form of printed check or "permit ticket issued by the machine.

Fig. 31 is a detail view of the consecutive numbe! operating and disabling mechanism.

Fig. 32 is a detail view of the type wheel aligners and the operating means therefor.

Big. 38 is a fragmentary view in front elevation of the disabling device for the consecutive number printer. I

34 is a detail view of the driving gears and a part of the mechanism for connecting the gears with the driving means.

Fig. 35 is a detail view of the crank and gears for manually operating the machine.

Fig. 36 is a detail view of the slide, operated by the total lever lock, for determining the effectivity of the total bar.

General description The machine of the present invention is small, compactly arranged, and is entirely encased in a cabinet provided with an opening to fit around and afford access to a keyboard, having rows of manipulative numeral keys for controlling the registration on the totalizer, of the amounts of postage, other rows of keys being adapted to control the printing of the zone numbers, weights of packages, classification of transactions, and for otherwise controlling the operation of the machine. A lever, projecting through the machine cabinet to the right of the groups of keys, controls the machine to perform adding or totalizing operations. A motor release bar is located to the right of and slightly above the total control lever. To the left of the keyboard is located a'repeat key, depression of which controls the machine to repeat exactly, the last operation, and also to release the machine for operation. The entire keyboard, with one exception noted below, is flexible, that is, depression of a key releases the key already depressed in the same row or bank. A manually operated key release lever is also provided, the knob of which projects through the machine cabinet on the left side of the machine. This lever operates mechanism to release all of the depressed keys excepting transaction keys, which can only he released by depression of another irey in the same bank. The compact arrangement of the amount and operating control keys enables rapid operation of the machine.

The usual totalizer difierential mechanism is provided and operates under the control of the various manipulative devices to add onto a selected totalizer the amount set up on the keyboard, sets up indicators which appear above the keyboard to indicate the entire set-up of the keyboard, and adjusts type carriers in the printing mechanism to print the amounts and other data corresponding to the keys depressed.

A plurality of interspersed totalizers is provided which are arranged in a single line on a shaft, the desired totalizer being selected by de-.

pressing its appropriate transaction key, there being, in the present machine, four transaction keys and four interspersed totalizers.

The denominational totalizer actuators or differentials are normally connected to their corresponding auxiliary diiferential mechanisms by coupling pinions, which are disengaged therefrom at the proper time to permit the totalizer actuator difierentials to be adjusted under the control of the depressed keys. Depression of the repeat key disables the means for disengaging these pinions, whereby, without depressing any key but the repeat key, the indicia set up on the last transaction or operation are automatically repeated upon the succeeding operation.

Mechanism is provided which compels the operator to make a repeat operation immediately following that totalizing operation during which a certain totalizer was cleared or reset to zero. In effecting this result, however, the repeat key is not depressed, the total control lever, when shifted to condition the machine to make the particular totalizing operation, also being utilized to set the mechanism to accomplish the functions of the repeat key, except that it does not release the machine for operation. This release is effected when a transfer total operation is initiated by depression of'the motor bar in the usual manner.

The indicators are similardn structure and operation to those disclosed in the Robertson patent and applications referred to above, and are adapted to be' set under the control of the keys to indicate the zone, weight of package, amount of postage, and the kind of transaction.

The printing mechanism is located generally to the right of the break or step in the top of the machine cabinet. This mechanism prints the information set up on the keyboard, and in addition, the date, consecutive number, Permit No.", Postage Paid and the place from which the parcel is mailed, on a strip or web of gummed check paper fed from a supply roll in the machine. The printed portion of the check paper is then severed from the web to form the permit ticket, which is fed out of the machine. These tickets are removed as they are issued, moistened, and attached to the correct parcels by the operator.

The information set up on the keyboard is also printed on at least two strips of paper at the same operation on which the permit ticket is printed. One of these strips, known as the issuing record strip", is issued from the machine, and the other strip of paper, having the same data printed thereon, is retained in the machine and is known as the permanent record". As each permit ticket" is printed and issued, the same data are printed on the "issuing detail strip, and before this strip is detached from its web,

the machine is operated to take a total of a group of parcels.

The purpose of issuing the detail record strip is to enable a compact record of a plurality of parcels to be made, detached and sent to the postoffice along with the parcels, where it forms a convenient medium for checking the parcels and the amount of postage. The permanent record strip is, of course, retained in the ma-v chine under lock and key. At certain periods or intervals, this strip may be removed for checking purposes by either the postal authorities or the executives of those business concerns which avail themselves of permit mailing privileges provided under Section 452 of the Postal Laws and Regulations.

This machine, when used by a mail order house or other business concern having a large number of parcels to ship by parcel post, offers a great many advantages over the old method of laboriously affixing denominational stamps at the postofiice. A few of the more salient of these advantages are as follows:

It is not necessary to purchase stocks of valuable stamps and store them at the place of business. Instead, a stock of paper rolls gummed on one side and having very little commercial value may be carried. The face values of all stamps issued by the machine are accumulated on locked totalizers accessible only to the duly authorized postofiice ofllcials, so that no mis-manipulation of the account can be effected. It provides means to accurately check correctness as to zone, weight and amount, and to control the stamps issued. An accurate list of the values of all stamps issued, together with the total value of the same, is kept locked in the machine for checking purposes. When used in post-offices, the machine obviates the necessity of carrying a stock of stamps of various denominations at the parcel post windows, and saves the checking and re-checking of the amount and kind of stamps on hand. Moreover, and of first importance, is the fact that the madesired amount.

Main frame The main body of the machine is supported between two side frames, a right side frame 30 (Figs. 12, 20 and 24), and a left side frame 3| (Figs. 3, 4, 7, 12, 13, 14 and 20). The side frames 30 and 3! are secured to a base 32 (Fig. '7) and are rigidly connected by a cross frame or partition 33, and by a tie-bar 34 located at the central and front portions of the machine, respectively, and of which further mention will be made later in the specification.

Indicator end frames 35 and 35 are secured to and lie adjacent the side frames 30 and ti, respectively, to support the indicator mechanism. Another tie bar 31 (Fig. 7) connects these indicator end frames at the rear of the machine, and besides acting as a strengthening member between the indicator frames, also provides a convenient anchorage and backing for a cabinet 38, which encases the entire machine, and which is secured at various points to the base 32 of the machine.

Keyboard The keyboard of the machine selected to illustrate the present invention, is generally the same as those disclosed in the Robertson Patents Nos. 1,816,263, 1,924,290, and 1,929,652 above referred to. Besides a plurality of banks of amount keys 40, (Figs. 1 and 3), the keyboard of the present machine includes a split or divided bank of keys containing a cent key 4|, (Figs. 1 and 4), for registering amounts of pest-age ending in such fraction, an insured" key 42, and a C. O. D. key 43. The latter two keys control the setting of type wheels to print identifying characters on the permit tickets" and on two detail record strips, but do not control the setting of corresponding indicators. However, mechanism, like that shown, could readily be associated with the keys 42 and 43, if desired, to enable them to control an indicator.

A group of transaction keys 44, 45, 46 and 41 (Figs. 1, 7 and 8) controls a differential to set an indicator and type wheel to indicate andprint characters designating the kind of transaction registered. These keys, respectively, bear the following legends-List Postage, List Cancellations, Group Totals, and Group Total Cancellations. Depression of any one of these transaction keys shifts the totalizer line to select the corresponding totalizer and sets certain mechanism to permit the machine to be released for actuation. To the left of the amount keys 40 (Fig. 1) are located banks of weight keys 48,

.and a bank of zone keys 49, which control their respective differential mechanisms to set the indicators and type elements to indicatevand print characters indicating theweight of the parcel and the zone, to which it is to be shipped.

A repeat key 58 (Figs. 1 and 13) projecting through a slot in the cabinet 38 to the left of the main keyboard (Fig. 1) controls the machine to repeat the registration of the amount last set up on the keyboard, or handled by the machine.

A total control lever 51 (Figs. 1 and 14) project-.

f ponents thereof follows.

Amount keys The machine illustrated is provided with three banks of amount keys 40 (Figs. 1, 2 and 3), the keys of each bank being slidably mounted in their respective denominational key frames 60 (shown partly broken away for clearness in Fig. 3). Each key frame 60 is supported at its upper and lower ends, respectively, by cross rods 6i and 62 carried by and extending between the side frames 30 and 3| of the machine. Key springs 63, only one of which is shown, coiled about the shanks of the individual keys, normally hold the keys in and return them to their undepressed positions.

Any key 40 (Fig. 2), when depressed, causes its key pin 64, one of which is secured to the shank of each of the amount keys, to wipe along the beveled edge of a shouldered projection 65 (Fig. 3) on a flexible detent bar 56 and cam the detent bar downwardly until the particular key pin 64 has passed the shoulder on the projection 65, whereupon a restoring spring 61 pulls the detent bar 66 back towards its normal position to engage the shoulder on the projection 65 over the key pin 64, and thereby hold the key in its depressed position. The detent bar 66 is longitudinally slotted near its upper and lower ends to accommodate supporting and guide studs 15 and 16 (Figs. 2 andYS) projecting inwardly from one wall of the U-shaped key frame 60.

Each bank of amount keys, and the divided bank also, is provided with its individual zero stop 18 (Fig. 3) pivoted at 19 to the respective key frames 60, to normally arrest the individual differential mechanisms associated therewith in their zero positions when the machine is operated with no key depressed in certain of the banks. When a detent bar 66 is forced downwardly by depression of a key in its associated bank, a stud 14 carried by a lug on the bar, contacts and rocks the zero stop 18 to its ineffective position out of the path of the differential mechanism. When the key is released near the end of the operation, and the spring 61 restores the detent bar 66 to its normal position, a spring returns the zero stop 18 to its normal effective position in the path of its differential mechanism.-

Difierential mechanism The amount keys 40, when depressed, control the excursions of differential mechanisms appropriate to the respective amount banks of keys to of the universal bail 352.

. cluded in this specification.

The differentials are of the spring-actuated type and are identical for the amount banks and the transaction banks. The differentials associated with the one-half cent key bank or divided bank, and those of the weight and zone key banks embody a few differences in structure and operation which will be fully described in due course.

Amount difierenttals The individual differentials associated with the respective amount banks are identical, and in this connection the movements of the parts will be described as when performing an adding operation.

An amount difierential includes an actuator 350.. (Fig. 3), journaled on the differential sup.- porting shaft I49 and constantly urged to rotate in clockwise direction by a spring 35I, secured at one end thereto. A restraining and restoring bail352, including a universal rod extending between two arms 363, (Figs. 3 and 11), and 354, (Fig. 7), fast on the shaft I49, normally restrains all the actuators350 in their home positions. When the machine is operated, mechanism, to be described later, rocks the shaft I49, and the restraining and restoring bail 352 first clockwise and then counter-clockwise through an invariable path of travel.

As the bail 352 is withdrawn from in front of the actuator 350, the latter follows the bail under the influence of its spring 35I until the actuator is arrested by contact of a finger 355 extending forwardly from the actuator, with either the corresponding zero stop 18 or the inner end of a depressed key 40. The ball 352 completes its invariable advance, and on its return or counter-clockwise movement, picks up the actuator 350 and restores it to its normal position. The stud 356 (dotted'li'nes, Fig. 3) projecting from the frame 3| limits the movement in both directions The actuators 350 corresponding in denomination to the banks wherein keys have been depressed. advance until arrested by the inner ends of the depressed keys, after which the universal bail completes its clockwise travel.

Shortly after the universal bail 352 arrives at the end of its clockwise movement, and before it starts its return travel, a totalizer I, to be later described, rocks into engagement with the actuators 350, and as the advanced actuators are restored by the bail 352 on its return, they advance their correspnding totalizer wheels to add thereon an amount equal in value to the keys depressed.

Of course, if no key has been depressed in a bank, the zero stop 18 arrests its actuator 350 before the latter has advanced an appreciable distance, and although the corresponding totalizer wheel MI is engaged with its. actuator, at the usual time, the actuator is not restored by the bail 352 until the latter has practically arrived in its home position, so that the totalizer wheel is not rotated. V

A skeleton segmental gear 351 is journaled alongside each actuator 350 on the supporting shaft I49 to enable the actuators to set their corresponding indicators and type carriers, to be described later.

The skeleton setting segments 351 are under control of the universal restraining and restoring bail 352 which passes through the space between two of the spokes of the respective setting segments, but there being no driving spring for the setting segments, the latter, at the beginning of an operation, remain in the positions in which they were set at the preceding operation.

Hence, at the beginning of an operation, the universal bail 352 will pick up, the setting segments 351 at whichever positions they may have been left at the end of the preceding operation, and will restore the segments to their home positions.

It is to be noted that the home positions of the adding segments or actuators 358 and the setting segments 351 lie at the respective opposite limits of travel of the universal bail.

Coupling pinions Coupling pinions 358 rotatlvely mounted on a rod 359 supported by a pair of arms 360 fast on a shaft 38! supported in the frames 38 and 3 I, the whole constituting a swinging frame for the pinions, normally couple the respective denominational setting segments 351 and their actuators 358 in pairs. However, just before the universal bail 352 begins its clockwise travel to permit the springs 35| to advance the actuators, mechanism, to be described later, operates to rock the shaft 36l counter-clockwise to carry the coupling pinions 358 out of mesh with the actuators 358 and the setting sements 351, to enable independ ent movement of these parts. An aligner comb 362 (Fig. 3) secured to the back plate or frame 33, with which the coupling pinions 358 engage as they are disengaged from the setting segments 351 and actuators 358, prevents the coupling pinions 358 from turning when out of mesh with the actuators 358 and segments 351. The aligner 362 also insures proper meshing of the pinions with the actuators and segments when the pinions are re-engaged with'these parts, at or just prior to the time when the universal bail starts its return to its normal position. At this time the actuators 358 have either been differentially set under control of depressed keys 48, or have been arrested by their zero stops 18, and the setting segments 351 having been restored to their home positions by the universal bail. Immediately thereafter the coupling pinions 358 are rocked into mesh with both the actuators and the segments.

The universal bail 352 then commences its counter-clockwise return to restore the advanced actuators 358 to normal positions and the actuators, through the coupling pinions, rock the setting segments 351 counter-clockwise a distance equal in steps of movement to the distance advanced by the actuators which corresponds with the values of the depressed keys. Thus, if an actuator 358, when advanced clockwise by the spring 35l, is stopped by the inner end of the '7 key, its counter-clockwise travel, when returned by the universal bail 352, amounts to seven steps, which extent of travel is transmitted to the corresponding setting segment 351 by the broad coupling pinion 358, thereby moving the setting segment seven steps to set the particular indicator and type carrier adapted to be adjusted thereby, to the 7 position.

The mechanism for driving the supporting shaft I49 and universal bail 352 through its invariable oscillatory movement, is best shown in Fig. 11.

The main drive shaft 218 extends between and is suitably journaled in the machine side frames 38 and 3|, and is given one complete rotation at each operation of the machine.

Cam plates 361 and 368 hubbed together and fast on the drive shaft 216 cooperate with projections 369, 318 respectively, on the respective arms of a bell crank 365 pivoted at 366 to the side frame 3|.

A segment 364 on one arm of the bell crank 366, meshes with a partial gear 363 fast on the differential supporting shaft I49.

When the drive shaft 216 rotates in counterclockwise direction, the cam 361, acting on the projection 389, rocks the bell crank 365 and segment 364 counter-clockwise to rock the partial gear 363, and supporting shaft I49 clockwise. The universal bail 352 with its arms 353, being fast on the differential supporting shaft I49,

' rocks clockwise therewith away from the actuators 358 to free the latter to the action of their drive springs 35! which advance the actuators as the universal bail retreats.

When the universal bail arrives at the limit of its travel farthest from its home position, the cam 361 is provided with a short dwell during which the bail remains at such limit of travel to afford time within which the totalizer is engaged with the advanced actuators, and other mechanism is adjusted, after which the cam 36B, acting on the projection 318, rocks the bell crank 365 and segment 364 clockwise to rock the shaft I49 and swing the universal bail 352 counterclockwise to normal.

Coupling pinion operating mechanism The coupling pinions 358 for the amount, divided bank, weight and zone differentials are rocked out of mesh with their respective actuators 358 and setting segments 351 shortly after the beginning of adding and totalizing operations of the machine. The coupling pinions 358 are held out of mesh until after the actuators have been differentially positioned under the control of the depressed keys, the zero stop arms 18, or the totalizer wheels 448, and are then re-engaged with the actuators and segments. The coupling pinions 358 associated with the amount, divided bank, weight and zone differentials are disengaged from their differentials and re-engaged therewith at each operation of the machine, whether the operation be an adding, a reading or a resetting operation, but are held in mesh with their actuators throughout the entire operation of the machine on repeat operations, as it is not desired to change the relative radial positions of the respective actuators 358 and their companion setting segments 351 on such operations.

The mechanism for operating the coupling pinion shaft 36l, best shown in Figs. 13 and 14, will now be described.

An arm 389 (Fig. 13) fast on the shaft 36! carries a stud 398 normally engaged by a notched link 39I pivoted at its lower end to an inverted U-shaped arm 392 journaled on a shaft 393 extending between the side frames 383|. A stud 395 in the upper end of the link 391 projects through a slot 396 in the repeat lever I14 to guide the link 39| in its travel and to hold the notch therein engaged with the stud 398 of the arm 389.

The free end of the arm 382 is enlarged and has formed therein a slot 394. One end of a 

